The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Yobay Cityxe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Salinas, Calif. and Fort Myers, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted Chrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production with uniform plant growth habit, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross made by the Inventors in May, 1993, in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as code number YB-4168, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Chrysanthemum cultivar Mobile, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,335, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross grown in a controlled environment in Fort Myers, Fla. in November, 1996. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time,and excellent postproduction longevity. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of both parents primarily in ray floret coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fort Myers, Fla. in February, 1997. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Yobay City has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Yobay Cityxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Yobay Cityxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum:
1. Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.
2. Dark green and glossy foliage.
3. Uniform flowering response.
4. Early flowering, eight-week response time.
5. Large daisy-type inflorescences that are about 7.9 cm in diameter.
6. Purple and white bi-colored ray florets and bright yellow disc florets.
7. Excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for at least three weeks in an interior environment.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar New Yoorleans, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,215. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the cultivar New Yoorleans in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more compact than plants of the cultivar New Yoorleans.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have a more uniform spray formation than plants of the cultivar New Yoorleans.
3. Under low light or high temperature conditions, ray floret color of the new Chrysanthemum retention is better than ray floret color retention of the cultivar New Yoorleans.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Tijuana, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,083. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the cultivar Tijuana in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more compact and more outwardly spreading than plants of the cultivar Tijuana.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are stronger and sturdier than plants of the cultivar Tijuana.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have thicker, darker green and glossier foliage than plants of the cultivar Tijuana.
4. Ray floret color of the new Chrysanthemum is more blue purple than ray floret color of Tijuana.